Recently a group of us got to talking to the groundskeeper at work and unearthed a plethora of information on native fruits and veggies including some key intel on what we could and couldn’t eat.
Hint: we can actually eat quite a few things we walk past everyday without usually batting an eyelid at. But not Nightshade. Don't try that.
Bruce the groundskeeper is the first to admit he’s not book-smart, which not many other people working at a University are keen to put their hand up to. What Bruce does know about the environment and horticulture though from his lived experience could fill at least five PhD theses.
One overgrown shrub of particular interest was the native raspberry bush (or Rubus Probus for the learned groundspeople among us). Loads of thorns protect the little bundles of berry bursts from hungry animals, but we were able to pick the fruit quite easily with only a few surface scratches as payment for our haul.
What should we do with a whole heap of native raspberries? Apart from stand there and gorge ourselves silly?
Let's try topping a choc-peanut butter smoothie bowl with them.
Hint: we can actually eat quite a few things we walk past everyday without usually batting an eyelid at. But not Nightshade. Don't try that.
Bruce the groundskeeper is the first to admit he’s not book-smart, which not many other people working at a University are keen to put their hand up to. What Bruce does know about the environment and horticulture though from his lived experience could fill at least five PhD theses.
One overgrown shrub of particular interest was the native raspberry bush (or Rubus Probus for the learned groundspeople among us). Loads of thorns protect the little bundles of berry bursts from hungry animals, but we were able to pick the fruit quite easily with only a few surface scratches as payment for our haul.
What should we do with a whole heap of native raspberries? Apart from stand there and gorge ourselves silly?
Let's try topping a choc-peanut butter smoothie bowl with them.
I like any food served in a vestibule not initially designed for it, and smoothie bowls for the bill nicely.
All you need is a blender or some other blitzing instrument, plus the key thickening ingredient of frozen avocado or banana, and you’ve got yourself a drink in a bowl.
Tumblers are so passé.
Here’s my healthy treat smoothie bowl recipe, which the native raspberries ironically made all the more exotic.
All you need is a blender or some other blitzing instrument, plus the key thickening ingredient of frozen avocado or banana, and you’ve got yourself a drink in a bowl.
Tumblers are so passé.
Here’s my healthy treat smoothie bowl recipe, which the native raspberries ironically made all the more exotic.
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Choc Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup milk (any kind- cow's, almond, soy, rice, oat, goat. Whatever you can squeeze milk out of will work a treat)
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbs peanut butter powder (not essential but does make the bowl rich and yummy)
2 tbs cacao powder
2 tbs sweetener of choice (think honey, sugar, or the low-carb monk fruit)
3 tbsp yogurt (plain or sweetened, work with whatever you have)
1/4 cup frozen avocado or frozen banana
If you have any healthy powders or seeds, pretend you're cooking for a two-year old and sneak them in! Inulin, collagen, maca powder, protein powder, chia seeds, sunflower seeds... Your body will thank you while you chow down on a chocolate delight.
Method
Blend.
Pour into a bowl. A big bowl.
Top with native raspberries and whatever other interesting crunchy items you can find in your pantry. Below I found pepitas, cacao nibs and some breakfast topper I had bought from Aldi many moons ago and forgotten about.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (any kind- cow's, almond, soy, rice, oat, goat. Whatever you can squeeze milk out of will work a treat)
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbs peanut butter powder (not essential but does make the bowl rich and yummy)
2 tbs cacao powder
2 tbs sweetener of choice (think honey, sugar, or the low-carb monk fruit)
3 tbsp yogurt (plain or sweetened, work with whatever you have)
1/4 cup frozen avocado or frozen banana
If you have any healthy powders or seeds, pretend you're cooking for a two-year old and sneak them in! Inulin, collagen, maca powder, protein powder, chia seeds, sunflower seeds... Your body will thank you while you chow down on a chocolate delight.
Method
Blend.
Pour into a bowl. A big bowl.
Top with native raspberries and whatever other interesting crunchy items you can find in your pantry. Below I found pepitas, cacao nibs and some breakfast topper I had bought from Aldi many moons ago and forgotten about.
Spoon that rich, delicious choc-peanut butter raspberry combo until the cows (or almond trees) come home.
